I actually like the idea of the Caitian, if not the visual design Cryptic went with. The Caitian/Ferasan/Kzinti/Lyran/Mirak species group represented a culture and sentience very different from the typical Trek norm. Like the Gorn, they have the potential to be something genuinely alien. Their mindsets derived from a primarily predatory biology, rather than the more opportunistic omnivorous biology that presumably lead to the roughly fifteen hojillion "humans with funny bumps on their heads" species that populate the galaxy. It's a fun viewpoint to explore.

I think that the race would be much much less "stupid" if the model designs weren't just head-swapped humans with tails and fur. Give them a digitigrade model with a different posture and heads that look more generically "big predator" and less "sentient tabby housecat" and I think folks would like them more.

I agree. They need to look more feline. A semi-erect posture would be an easy solution. But all the canon Caitians had an erect posture.